Where does this factor in the admission process?

It’s usually a good idea to have some things in those EC, Community Service, Paying Job parts if the application.

But your application is viewed in the light of your circumstances and privileges. AOs at selective colleges can easily sniff out bought experiences. Clearly someone paid for you to do all of these things, which shows a lot of privilege. Certainly better than spending money and trips on Club Med.

My one son did local Habitat for Humanity projects—not the trips away, but local. He wrote and did a photo essay of cleanup after local flooding that had our area declared a national disaster zone I know that made tremendous impact to AOs. One actually made a remark about how refreshing it was to see REAL community service instead of paid activities.

Close friend of ours is CEO to a water to 3rd world company. The admissions counselor they hired at great cost to help their son in the selective schools application process literally said thAt it would be the “kiss of death” to focus on the activities he did in that area. Reeks of privilege and nepotism. I think assessment was extreme but I’m not a paid college consultant nor am I an AO.